DIRECTV

The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (also DirecTV) is the largest direct broadcast satellite (DBS) TV provider in the U.S. (ahead of EchoStar's DISH Network). It has over 15 million customers in the U.S. and 4.1 million in Latin America. DirecTV is 38% owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation (by way of the Fox Entertainment Group).

DirecTV is based in El Segundo, California and was formerly known as Hughes Electronics Corporation.

Political contributions
DirecTV gave $146,500 to federal candidates in the 2006 election through its political action committee - 45% to Democrats and 55% to Republicans.

Lobbying
The company spent $1,180,000 for lobbying in 2006. $580,000 went to five lobbying firms with the remainder being spent using in-house lobbyists. Two of the lobbying firms were Greenberg Traurig and Lundquist, Nethercutt & Griles LLC.

Personnel
Key executives and 2006 pay:
 * K. Rupert Murdoch, (Rupert Murdoch) Chief Executive Officer of parent company News Corporation, $23,640,000
 * Chase Carey, Chief Executive Officer, $6,150,000
 * Michael W. Palkovic, Executive Vice President of Operations, $1,200,000
 * Bruce Churchill, Chief Executive Officer of Directv Latin America, $2,220,000
 * Romulo Pontual, Chief Technology Officer, $1,150,000

Selected members of the Board of Directors:
 * James M. Cornelius, Also Chief Executive Officer of Bristol-Myers Squibb
 * Charles R. Lee, Former Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Verizon Communications, also a director of Procter & Gamble, United Technologies Corporation, and Marathon Oil Corporation
 * Peter A. Lund, Former Chief Executive Officer of CBS
 * Haim Saban, Also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Saban Capital Group

Contact details
2230 East Imperial Highway El Segundo, CA 90245 USA Phone: (310) 964-5000 Fax: (310) 535-5225 Web: http://www.directv.com